MILFORD, Del. - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) says they will reopen the DuPont Nature Center for the 2026 season on Wednesday, April 1, welcoming visitors back to the Mispillion Harbor Reserve.
DNREC says the facility, managed by DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a seasonal schedule. In April, the center will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays. From May through August, it will operate Tuesday through Saturday and remain closed Sundays and Mondays. The center will return to a Wednesday and Saturday schedule in September and close to general admission from October through March, when it will host only special events and programs.
According to DNREC, during the spring, the center’s deck overlooking the harbor provides views of spawning horseshoe crab and migrating shorebirds, including the federally threatened red knot.
Inside the nature center, DNREC added that visitors can explore exhibits highlighting the environmental and historical significance of the Mispillion Harbor, along with saltwater tanks displaying a variety of aquatic species. A new community-created environmental art exhibit will debut this season, aimed at helping visitors connect with the local ecosystem.
The center also offers educational programming focused on the Delaware Bay and regional wildlife. Live video feeds, including an osprey cam and a Mispillion Harbor cam, allow visitors to view nesting osprey and other wildlife activity remotely, according to DNREC.
DNREC says admission is free and open to the public.